fred om is not a handgun on the hip of every teacher and security should not mean a guard posted outside every classroom. [ applause ] that is not who we are in connecticut and it is not who we will allow ourselves to become. >> while we've heard from many other lawmakers on this issue, what about someone who has had to guard our schools himself? gregory thomas, former director of security in new york city schools and he joins me this afternoon. it's great to have you here. obviously, your background in this and your experience is invaluable. when you hear about this and the potential of moving forward 2013 post-newtown and people wanting to have armed guards at school. your reaction is what? >> over the last ten years events have changed in schools that focus school safety. talking about school shootings in the '90s, columbine and things like that, they started doing more on bullying and one event after that on 9/11. how we react to man made disasters and those that are also natural disasters and then the shootings in the beltway in 2002 when one of the young kids going into benjamin ta